


Falling in Love (During a Pandemic)

by digthewriter



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Background Drarry, Background Relationships, Divorced Hermione Granger & Ron Weasley, Hopeful Ending, M/M, Minor Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Pandemic - Freeform, Past Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Pre-Slash, Quarantine, pandemic fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:48:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25583881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/digthewriter/pseuds/digthewriter
Summary: In an alternate universe, Ron is falling for Neville as we live and breathe.
Relationships: Neville Longbottom/Ron Weasley
Comments: 6
Kudos: 31
Collections: Rare Pair Shorts - Summer Wishlist Event 2020





	Falling in Love (During a Pandemic)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [deirdre_aithne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/deirdre_aithne/gifts).



> This is a pandemic fic. My first (and probably only). I think I really needed to get some shit out. Unbetaed. I hope you like it.  
>  **Request/Prompt Used:** Prompt: quiet first kiss. Neville/Ron.

There was a time when pubs were bustling, the streets were overcrowded, and the bus stations were filled with people. Now, everything was different. It wasn't how Ron had expected the year he'd turned forty to end up being. But now, a month after his birthday, it was eerily quiet. Everyone was staying home, taking precautions, especially those who once visited the Muggle world on a regular basis. 

Feeling frustrated of being indoors day in and day out, and having to deal with his family, Ron was going mad. It didn't help that his divorce had been finalised in February, and he'd had to move out of his home he shared with Hermione for over ten years. But they had parted on good terms, and Merlin knows, they'd tried to make it work for years. He knew they were going to go back to becoming good friends, it was going to take time. 

Now, Ron had nothing but time. 

He decided to take a walk down the touristy area of wizarding London. As travel was prohibited, he knew the streets weren't going to be as crowded as he was used to. Still, he needed to take precaution. He placed a protective charm around him, and opted to wear a face-mask. There was no such thing as being too careful. 

Surprised at seeing Neville while he was on a stroll, Ron was also happy to see his old friend. 

They walked together, keeping their distance, as they talked and reminisced of the good times and the bad. 

*

"It's my birthday tomorrow," Neville said to Ron as they sat in his living room having tea. Neville's grandmother was upstairs resting. Ron hadn't seen her in ages.

After they had run into each other in April, Ron and Neville continued to keep in touch. He even helped Ron select a flat in mid-May as Ron had decided he couldn't live with his parents anymore. They didn't need to be taken care of, and he certainly didn't need them to be in his business all the time. Whenever he'd visited with Neville, he'd made sure his grandmother wasn't around. He didn't wish to get her sick. 

"So it is…" Ron said with a smile. He knew it was Neville's birthday because it was one day before Harry's. Draco was planning a surprise Floo party for Harry where Harry's friends would schedule Floo-call him to wish him a _Happy Birthday_ and send over their gift via the Floo network. 

"It's so depressing. All of us turning a _certain_ age and can't truly celebrate it in style," Neville said with a laugh. 

"Well, I don't know about you but Hermione and I celebrated ours in style…" 

"That's because you two were lucky!" Neville scolded. "Remember how depressed Draco was about not being able to throw a party?" 

Ron threw his head back and laughed. "Just for Malfoy's misery, this pandemic might be worth it!" he joked, hoping Neville would never repeat those words to Harry. 

"So are you planning on anything?" Ron asked. 

"No. It'll be fine. I don't have many friends anyway and I don't want to make a big deal about it. Maybe when it's all over, next year, hopefully Harry and I can celebrate together. We have done so in the past a few times. Or well, I usually want to stay home but Ginny and Draco plan it otherwise." 

"Yeah… that's the weirdest thing about this to me," Ron said, thoughtfully. "Ginny and Malfoy becoming close friends." 

This time, Neville laughed. "Yeah. They really do get on well. It's scary." 

They were quiet for a few moments and Ron felt as though there was something more but Neville wasn't saying it. 

"I _was_ thinking…" he said eventually, "maybe you could stop by?" 

Ron smiled and nodded. "Of course, I have to bring you your present." 

Neville's eyes widened with surprise but he didn't say anything. "That's too kind of you." 

"Neville, can you stop being so humble? It's your bloody birthday _and_ you're turning forty! I'm giving you a bloody present!"

"Okay, fine!" Neville said, looking amused. "Thank you. I…I don't know…" 

"It's okay…" Ron reached over and took Neville's hand in his. He'd been wanting to do so for ages. He wanted to hold Neville's hand, or well, he wanted to do a lot more than that but this was a first step towards achieving some sort of a goal. Of moving on with his life. Of forming new and meaningful connections. 

"I…" Neville said, hesitating. "It's getting late." 

"Okay," Ron said, squeezing Neville's hand and then letting go. "I'll let you rest." 

"Oh. Right." Neville looked flustered. Still, he didn't say anything. It had been like this for as long as Ron could remember. There was always something Neville looked like he wanted to say but didn't. 

When they reached the Floo, Ron turned to look at Neville. "I'm also thinking of getting Gran a medi-witch as a caretaker. So she can be around her, stay at home with her, and I would do the shopping and keep my distance. I don't want to accidentally—" 

"Yes, of course," Ron said reassuringly. "That makes a lot of sense." 

"I even considered moving out if the medi-witch worked out," added Neville. 

"Yeah?" 

"Just for safety. I mean, I don't go to very many places but people are starting to become…" He hesitated again. 

"Careless?" 

Neville nodded. "It's probably better to be safe than sorry." 

"Always a smart move," Ron said. He didn't want to leave and if he was reading what was happening between them correctly, Neville didn't want to leave him either. 

"Neville, can I ask you a question?" 

Ron's question seemed to give Neville pause. Eventually, he said "of course." 

"Okay, well it's two questions." 

"All right…" 

"If say… you do get a full time day caretaker for your grandmother, would you maybe spend more time at my place then? My new place. You know because I live alone." Now, Ron could not bloody shut up. 

_For Merlin's sake._ It'd been a while for him. He hadn't tried to pull someone in more than ten years. 

Neville chuckled a little bit. "Are you nervous?" he asked but he didn't sound like he was mocking Ron. 

Ron licked his lips and diverted his gaze away from Neville. His cheeks felt like they were burning and he was forty going on fourteen. "I want to see you more. More than how we see each other." 

"Yes," Neville said and Ron waited for more. With Neville, there was always a bit more. "I want to take care of my grandmother but I can't…I'm going slightly insane. I think it would have been fine if I hadn't fallen—" Neville's eyes widened and Ron's heartbeat sped up, "Shit." 

Ron smiled at Neville and he wanted to take a step closer to him but he didn't know how much more Neville was ready for. 

"I'm a horrible person," Neville said, and when he looked like he was going to cry, Ron took him in his arms. "I'm being so selfish…" 

"No…" Ron rubbed small circles on Neville's back as Neville's face rested in the crook of Ron's neck. "You've been holding it together rather well for a long time. You're not being selfish." 

"I don't know—" 

"Shh…. Look at me. I moved out of my parents' because it was driving me mad. And you're being more responsible than me. I just _left_. They have each other to take care of. You're still putting her health first before you own…" Ron paused. What was he going to say? _Needs_? He almost laughed at the thought. 

"What was your second question?" 

"What?" Ron asked, absentmindedly. He's thoughts had reverted to how Neville had said he'd _fallen_ for something.

"You said you had two questions." 

"Oh." Now Ron was even more nervous. "Uh…" 

Neville stood up straight to look into Ron's eyes but he didn't move away. Ron's hands rested on Neville's hips and they hadn't been in this close ever before. Not because of the social distancing, and not because Ron was afraid he was going to do something stupid. 

"Can I kiss you?" 

The question startled Neville as much as it shocked Ron. 

Neville gave a shy smile and he nodded. 

It took everything he had inside him and not scream with joy. He didn't want to wake up, or worse, scare Neville's grandmother. Unable to stop himself from grinning, Ron leaned in closer to Neville and Neville met him halfway. It was a soft, quiet kiss. And it was perfect. 

Ron honestly didn't know when he'd started to fall for Neville too but their friendship had turned into something more meaningful than Ron could have imagined. He'd always known about his sexuality. Knew that his crush on Viktor Krum more than twenty five years ago was more than just a young boy admiring a famous Quidditch player -- and maybe if Hermione hadn't taken that job and decided to move away, they could have worked on their problems. 

But this wasn't the time to think about that. 

This was the time for more quiet kisses and the possibility of a new beginning even during this insane time in their lives.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading.


End file.
